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Lesson 55 of 240

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Colours and sizes in Japanese

Leo stops by the umbrella stand at Kissa Hotaru. The old black umbrella is still there, tag blank, and his own clear one looks small beside it.

Goro asks what colour it is. Leo tries the words for black, white, too big, and too small.

You will ask what colour something is, then say if it is just right.

Keep it polite. You are describing a thing, not judging the person who owns it.

By the end of this lesson

Describe something by colour and size.

  • 何色(なにいろ)ですか。What colour is it?
  • 黒(くろ)いです。It's black.
  • 白(しろ)いです。It's white.
  • 大(おお)きすぎます。It's too big.
  • 小(ちい)さすぎます。It's too small.
  • ちょうどいいです。It's just right.

Scene — the umbrella stand

The rain has eased on the Yanaka lane. Leo stands by the umbrella stand at Kissa Hotaru.

A few wet umbrellas lean together, and the old black one still waits with a blank tag.

Masako watches from the wooden counter. In the corner booth, Goro sits over untouched blend coffee and pats the pockets of his olive coat.

Leo pauses beside the umbrella stand as Masako watches from the counter and Goro sits over his untouched coffee.

Learn — colour and size

These six lines let you ask a colour, name black or white, and say too big, too small, or just right.

Learn each one as a set phrase you can point with.

  1. Leo gestures toward an umbrella in the stand while turning to Masako for clarification.

    何色(なにいろ)ですか。

    What colour is it?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want the colour of a thing.

    Learn it as one piece for asking colour.

  2. Masako gives a small confirming nod while looking toward the old black umbrella.

    黒(くろ)いです。

    It's black.

    When to use it: Use this when the thing you mean is black.

    Learn it as one piece to name the colour black.

  3. Leo looks over the wet white folding umbrella in the stand after Masako indicates it.

    白(しろ)いです。

    It's white.

    When to use it: Use this when the thing you mean is white.

    Learn it as one piece to name the colour white.

  4. Leo holds the old black umbrella open by the doorway as Goro watches from the corner booth.

    大(おお)きすぎます。

    It's too big.

    When to use it: Use this when something is bigger than you need.

    Learn it as one piece for saying too big.

    Say it: Hold the long お in 大き; do not shorten it.

  5. Leo examines the small white folding umbrella and finds its size inadequate.

    小(ちい)さすぎます。

    It's too small.

    When to use it: Use this when something is smaller than you need.

    Learn it as one piece for saying too small.

    Say it: Hold the long い in 小さ; it is not short.

  6. Leo stands at the threshold with his clear umbrella as Masako glances toward it approvingly.

    ちょうどいいです。

    It's just right.

    When to use it: Use this when the size or fit is just right.

    Learn it as one piece when nothing needs to change.

    Say it: Hold the long う in ちょうど; do not rush it.

Story — too big and black

Leo looks at the old umbrella by the door. Masako helps him name its colour and size.

Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.

  1. The rain has eased. Leo stops at the stand by the door.
  2. Leoこれは何(なん)ですか。What's this?
  3. Masakoどれですか。Which one?
  4. Leoあれです。That one over there.
  5. Goro何色(なにいろ)ですか。What colour is it?
  6. Leo黒(くろ)いです。It's black.
  7. He holds his clear umbrella next to the old black one.
  8. Leo大(おお)きすぎます。It's too big.
  9. Goro pats his coat pockets and says nothing. His blend coffee sits untouched.
  10. Masako nods at a small white folding umbrella in the stand.
  11. Masako白(しろ)いです。It's white.
  12. Leo小(ちい)さすぎます。It's too small.
  13. She glances at Leo's clear plastic umbrella.
  14. Masakoちょうどいいです。It's just right.

Practice — pick the right colour

Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.

Each one is small, so you move on quickly.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    何色(なにいろ)ですか。Drop the English here
    白(しろ)いです。Drop the English here
    ちょうどいいです。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    The old black umbrella dwarfs your clear one. Comment on the size.

  4. Fill the gap

    What colour is it?

    何色(なにいろ)____か。

  5. What does it mean?

    何色(なにいろ)ですか。

  6. What do you say?

    Masako points at a small white folding umbrella. Name the colour.

  7. Build the line

    It's just right.

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    You look at the tiny folding umbrella. Comment on the size.

  9. What do you say?

    You stop at the stand and do not know the object yet.

  10. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    どれですか。

    Which one?

    And you reply with:

  11. Find the mistake

Say it — your turn to speak

You are Leo by the umbrella stand. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.

  1. Leo (you)Ask what colour the old umbrella is.

    何色(なにいろ)ですか。

    What colour is it?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
何色(なにいろ)ですか。What colour is it?
黒(くろ)いです。It's black.
白(しろ)いです。It's white.
大(おお)きすぎます。It's too big.
小(ちい)さすぎます。It's too small.
ちょうどいいです。It's just right.
Next: lesson 56What I like

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these colour and size lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.

A short Yak Cards round after coffee keeps black, white, and just right ready.

Open Yak Cards